• Home
• Defective Drug Index
• About A Drug Recall
• Contact A Defective Drug Lawyer

We Can Help.

Prozac and PPHN

Millions of children and adults have used Prozac-- one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressant drugs in the United States-- since it received FDA approval in 1988. However, reports of serious side effects including injury and death associated with the use of Prozac have made this drug one of the most controversial on the market. The most recent study of Prozac indicates the increased risk of Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) in children born to women who took Prozac during the third trimester of pregnancy.

What is PPHN?

PPHN is a rare, possibly fatal, respiratory/circulatory condition, which develops during the first hours or days of life. During neonatal development, the fetus receives oxygen from the mother's placenta through the umbilical cord. Because of the high blood pressure gathered in the lungs, the pulmonary artery sends blood away from the lungs back to the heart via the ductus arteriosus. When a healthy baby is born, the ductus arteriosus permanently closes and the pulmonary artery begins to pump blood from the heart to the lungs allowing oxygen to reach the blood so that it can be carried throughout the body.

In newborns with PPHN, the circulatory system does not adapt to breathing out of the womb and the blood pressure in the lungs remains high. The ductus arteriosus doesn't close, blood does not properly reach the lungs and the body becomes deprived of oxygen. PPHN is a medical emergency, which requires intensive care. Even with proper care, ten to 20 percent of babies with PPHN do not survive.

Prozac and PPHN

A new birth defects study by the Slone Epidemiology Center published in The New England Journal of Medicine indicates the link between Prozac and PPHN. The study reports that taking Prozac during the third trimester significantly increases the risk of delivering a child with PPHN. Researchers at Slone based their recent study on the hypothesis of a previous, small cohort study, which believed the use Prozac in late pregnancy may be a risk factor for PPHN.

According to the results of the Slone study, women taking Prozac during the last trimester of their pregnancy were two times more likely to birth a baby with PPHN than those not exposed to Prozac. The results suggested that Prozac increases the levels of serotonin in the lungs, which may cause the blood vessels to tighten resulting in increased pressure. In addition, the Slone's findings were consistent with a previous study, which showed that infants exposed to Prozac in the last trimester of pregnancy had a heightened risk of developing neonatal problems such as hypotonia, respiratory complications, and jitteriness compared to newborns whose Prozac exposure was limited to the first trimester of pregnancy.

While the risk associated with Prozac and PPHN is still relatively low, the findings of the study are important and should be taken into account when deciding whether to continue the use of SSRIs drugs. Be sure to speak with you doctor to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of antidepressant treatment before starting or terminating the use of Prozac or similar medications.

Did your baby develop PPHN?

If you used Prozac during the third trimester of your pregnancy and your newborn developed PPHN, you may be entitled to seek recovery for damages suffered including pain and agony, medical bills, and more. An experienced and qualified personal injury attorney can help protect your legal rights and interests. Contact us today for a free consultation or to find out more information about Prozac and PPHN.

More Prozac Resources

MedLine Plus Drug Information - Guide to prescription and over-the-counter medications provided by the United States Pharmacopeia.

Prozac.com - Your Guide to Evaluating and Recovering from Depression.

• Reglan
• Raptiva
• Yaz Birth Control
• Nuvaring
• Duragesic Patch
• Heparin